BEST MUSEUMS IN LONDON

Sightseeing & Attractions | Mar 31, 2016

Which are the best museums to visit in London? It can be hard choosing given just how many there are! As Londoners we recommend:

The British Museum
Impressive and unmissable, this is one of the oldest museums in the world. Among the most impressive objects on display are the Sutton Hoo Ship Burial treasures, the Lewis Chessmen, the Rosetta Stone, Lindow Man, the Elgin Marbles and of course, the vast array of Ancient Egyptian mummies.

Victoria & Albert Museum
Textiles, design, sculptures, jewellery – all forms of decorative arts from all over the world are on display here. It is a treasure trove of beautiful objects. It is even home to the jacket used by Beatrix Potter in the Tailor of Gloucester. Located out in South Kensington, it forms part of a trio of museums set up by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort.

The Natural History Museum
Another of the South Kensington museums, this is a massive collection containing over 70 million plant, animal, fossil, rock and mineral specimens. Everywhere you look there are displays about animal life of all kinds from tiny insects to the well loved Diplodocus in the entrance hall.

The Science Museum
Completing the South Kensington Museums trio is The Science Museum. Go hands on and explore exhibits telling the story of all forms of science. There is a flight simulator, an Apollo 10 command module, a look at Steam Power, even a medical history gallery.

The National Gallery
Located at the northern side of Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery has one of the world’s great art collections and is famous among youths staying in Backpacker Hostels London. See works by Giotto, Piero della Francesco, Constable, Rubens, Stubbs, Velasquez, Cezanne, Van Gogh and many more. There are incredible paintings by Raphael and one of Monet’s stunning water lily paintings. Free guided tours ensure you see the key paintings, or you can explore at your leisure.

Tate Modern
If modern, contemporary art is more to your taste, then head for Bankside and the Tate Modern. Located in a former power station, it contains permanent collections of contemporary art as well as large-scale temporary installations by cutting edge artists, which are seen to their best advantage within the dramatic turbine hall.

Museum of London
A fascinating museum telling the story of how London developed from a small settlement in Roman times to the global centre of finance and heritage of today. Some spectacular Roman finds are on display along with tales of Georgian London, Victorian London, the Great Fire of London and the medieval streets which still bear witness to their origins as a trading areas.

London Transport Museum
Tucked away in Covent Garden is one of the most entertaining museums in London. There are ranks of London Transport buses, horse drawn buses, a wonderful collection of London Transport artwork and the first underground trains. Many exhibits can be boarded, including the first electric underground train which had no windows!

Imperial War Museum
This is sombre museum telling the story of war throughout the twentieth century. Among the key displays are specially commissioned WW1 and WW2 art, the Holocaust exhibition, Crimes against Humanity and the attention grabbing collection of guns, tanks and aircraft housed in the central Hall.

So, make sure that you are going to these places if you are in London and enjoying your stay at London youth hostels.